Selicha. I'm sorry. Sorry for the silence here. If I were to attempt an explanation, it would come out all ...   more »

Prayer for the Slain and Injured in the Attack on the Gay Community Center in Tel AvivRabbi Dov Linzer מי שברך אבותינו אברהם יצחק ויעקב ואמותנו שרה רבקה רחל ולאה, הוא יברך וירפא את החולים והחולות שנפגעו בפיגוע החבלני והרצחני בתל אביב, בארצנו הקדושה, בעבור שאנחנו מתפללים בעבורם. בשכר זה, הקב ה ימלא רחמים עליהם, להחלים ולרפאותם, ולהחזיקם ולהחיותם, וישלח להם מהרה רפואה שלמה מן השמים, בתוך שאר חולי ישראל, רפואת הנפש ורפואת הגוף, שבת היא מלזעוק ורפואה קרובה לבא. השתא בעגלא ובזמן קריב ונאמר אמן. Master of the Universe, watch over the souls of the slain and bring healing to those who were injured in the violent and murderous attack in Tel Aviv in our Holy Land. See how not only the bodies, but the souls and lives of these persons have been shattered. See how this support group for teenagers - this place which for many of them was their one refuge of protection, support, and acceptance - how this haven has now been violated and has now become a place of danger, of vulnerability, and of death. Heal their bodies, heal their souls and heal their spirits. O Lord, you have taught us in Your Torah the mitzvah of the עגלה ערופה. You have taught us that when a person is murdered and it is not known who the murder is, that it is the leaders of the community who must look inward and ask what sins of commission or omission could have allowed such a tragedy to occur. Who among us can say ידינו לא שפכו את הדם הזה, that we did not have a hand by our silence and inaction in this slaying? Who among us can say, לא ראינוהו ופטרנוהו בלא מזונות ובלא לויה, that we did everything in our power to ensure that these victims were cared for physically and emotionally, to ensure that we gave them friendship and protection? O Lord, we cannot make this declaration of innocence. Master of the Universe, give us the courage to stand up to and reject all forms of hateful speech and violence. Give us the strength of spirit to refuse to tolerate the rejection of any human being, each of whom is created in בצלם א-לוהים, in Your Divine image. Help us to internalize in our hearts and to manifest in our actions the mandate of the verse in this week’s parsha ואהבתם את הגר כי גרים הייתם בארץ מצרים, that it is our responsibility to care for, to love, and to protect all members of our society, and in particular those who are most vulnerable and most likely to feel estranged and rejected. Help us to value every member of our society for whom he or she is, to care for them, to support them, and to recognize that they are an equal part of our community כגר כאזרח יהיה. Give us the strength to fully actualize – in our speech and in our actions – the maxim that כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה, that the entirety of the Jewish people, straight and gay, is interwoven with and responsible for every one of its members. We cannot change the past, but we can work to change the future, so we pray, O Lord, that You accept our mourning and our prayers, and give us the strength to change. We pray that we can make the necessary sacrifices to live up to our obligations to You and to every human being who is created in Your image, and that this can bring partial atonement for the דם נקי בקרב עמך ישראל, for the innocent blood that has been shed and allowed to have been shed in the midst of Your people, of Israel. כפר לעמך ישראל, Atone for Your people, O Lord, bring us healing, a healing of persons, a healing of society, help us create a society where all are protected, cared for, and valued, and let no innocent blood ever again be spilled. Now and speedily in our days, and let us say, Amen.   more »

So, it's been a long time since I crawled out from under my blogger's block...or boulder, to write something here. I have been writing, but more intimately. Today, however, I feel led to write here about the "National Day of Prayer."

You may not even have noticed it, but the "National Day of Prayer" is today. I have not gone digging to uncover the history for you. I heard it on CNN earlier and if you are interested it can be readily accessed elsewhere. The purpose of this entry is not to inform anyone about the reasons for a "National Day of Prayer" or to give its history. I do wish to thank this President for not using it as an opportunity to display, or promote, his own personal variety of faith. I also wish to urge others to imagine what it has felt like for the previous 8 years to be excluded from this day, by some kind of Christian litmus test for whose prayers might be involved. I am amused at the carryings on of the Christian Right in its attacks on this President who, rightly so, has scaled back the publicity surrounding his own prayers and this day as a solely Christian stronghold on "National Prayer."

I am certainly not anti-Christian; far from it. I am merely urging a less arrogant variety than the one that would exclude other faith traditions from whole participation and representation in a National Day of Prayer. We are guaranteed a separation of church and state. But more than that phrase that has become so cliche'...the Constitutional principle is really better known as an Anti-Establishment Clause. What that means is that the government, and government offices and official SHALL NOT prefer one brand of faith over another. There is to be no government religion. No state stronghold on prayer. We are a multi-faith nation. Our National Day of Prayer must reflect that.

Unlike some, I welcome prayer EVERYWHERE and at all times. The topic of why, and my personal theology of prayer and its utility is another entry. For today, let me simply call for an inclusive day of prayer. Day of prayer, the public prayer breakfasts, the invocations and convocations at public universities and courthouses, legislatures and other public events MUST be inclusive.  Examining our own Pledge of Allegience, when we recite "...and to The Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all....." we vow allegience not only to the flag...but to The Republic as one nation with liberty and justice for all. This isn't a Republic of one variety of Christian. It is, like it or not, a Republic comprised of other Christian denominations AND non-Christians. Non-Christian does not mean faithless people. It means the majority of the world and a huge sector of the American Republic. We non-Christians are entitled Constitutionally to representation, to liberty, to justice...AND to your allegience as much as you are entitled to ours as fellow Americans. I would not presume to shove my theology into your public prayer breakfast or other public event. You would not stand for (it has been made plain) a government in America that exclusively invoked Muhammad as Messenger of God at your White House Prayer Day. So why must the rest of us be asked to pray to Jesus?

I do not mean this to be disrespectful to my Christian friends. I mean only to ask for an expansive sensitivity and open heartedness to non-Christians in this National Day of Prayer. Let it be a day, finally, in the progress of Christian history that is not yet another, albeit televised, arrogant Crusade.    

     

  

   

 

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Elul, as you no doubt recall is the period leading up to Selichot and Rosh Hashanah, the Days of Awe and Yom Kippur. We listen for the sound of the shofar and listen inwardly, too. We are preparing ourselves, mending fences, reconciling and forgiving old accounts...letting bygones be bygones. This introspection and conciliatory spirit comes at an interesting time in terms of world affairs and US Presidential campaigns. Are you listening to the speeches and thinking what's needed is a shofar?

Well, I have some things to say about this. But, alas, it is already late and I am trying to get to bed at a reasonable hour so as to combat a brewing upper respiratory infection (allergies-tis the season). I have neglected you here for a while, but I am back. Forgive me the hiatus. It was much needed. Such a year we had last year. God willing the next year for us should, please, bring us health and strength and renewed vigor for the jobs that are ahead of us. Big jobs.

I learned PILES of things, glorious things from Reb Shefa and Rachmiel in New Mexico. Will knock your socks off. Now just need to get the ol' act together and schedule a hum/drum. Already overscheduled for September- but will narrow in on October dates.

More soon. Must sleep or I'll be useless tomorrow.

(am considering resolution to avoid writing after 11p because all editorial eye is utterly lost as I get more and more sleepy. So. Goodnight and sweet revealing dreams.

 

 

     

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